Bilingualism Week Underway in Douala

RegionsFred VUBEM TOH | 31-01-2018 15:04

The week was launched by the Governor in a ceremony at the Lycée Bilingue Nylon Brazzaville in Douala on Monday.

The 13th edition of the bilingualism week was launched on Monday January 29, 2018 in a ceremony at the Lycée Bilingue Nylon Brazzaville in Douala presided at by the Governor of the Littoral Region. Speaking on the occasion, Ivaha Diboua urged everyone to reflect on the theme of this year’s celebrations which is “Bilingualism: bedrock for national unity and peaceful coexistence”.

He said Cameroon is unique as it is the only country in Africa where French and English are used as official languages and that it was in cognisance of this that the President of the Republic, Paul Biya created the National Commission on Bilingualism and Multiculturalism.

He said everyone in Cameroon should pride himself in speaking both English and French and not just one of the two official languages. He disclosed that the ultimate objective of government is to have completely bilingual Cameroonians such that one cannot distinguish whether they are Anglophone or Francophone by origin reason why the President ordered the recruitment of bilingual teachers;

The representative of the Regional Delegate for Secondary Education said the time for reflection on bilingualism was first instituted in February 2002. At first it was only on a single day but was later extended to a week in 2006.

The ceremony was characterised by singing, performing dances from all regions of Cameroon, presentation of sketches, recitation of poems in both French and English by students from some schools in Douala like Lycée Bilingue Deido, Gens Bibamba, GBHS Bobongo Petit Paris, GBHS Nylon Brazzaville, Ecole bilingue Sany and Lycée Akwa.

Prizes were awarded to students who won a writing competition on the theme of bilingualism as well as some outstanding teachers.